Adopt healthier eating habits
It’s easy to slip into unhealthy eating habits if you are a shift worker. Stress, fatigue and lack of breaks at work can make preparing and eating nutritious foods tricky. Many of us juggle family and other obligations outside work, so have very little time to plan meals at work.
Plan for the best and prepare for the worst
Planning and preparing simple healthy meals ready for night shift will save you money and keep you going. Many people have success if they prep several meals once or twice a week. They might plan, shop, cook and freeze meals, put together overnight oats, boil eggs or chop vegies ahead of time ready to cook.
Often our shifts can be too busy to stop for a meal break. It can be a good idea to have quick, low-GI and healthy feel-good foods ready to eat (that don’t need heating up). Protein powders ready to mix with water, unsalted nuts and bananas are a few ideas to stock up in your locker or staff kitchen.
Improve food habits in small, simple steps
Changing habits is hard. Most of our behaviours are automatic and we tend to engage in them mindlessly. The best way to change a habit is to start small, and keep it simple.
Studies have shown that people who eat breakfast have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, and improved memory. To reduce cravings, hunger, and weight management, a higher protein breakfast is most beneficial, according to the CSIRO total wellbeing diet.
The best way to change your entire life is by not changing your entire life. Instead, it is best to focus on one specific habit, work on it until you master it, and make it an automatic part of your daily life. Then, repeat the process for the next habit.James Clear
Tips – how to develop healthy eating habits
- Set an intention – “I am going to prioritise healthy eating”
- Avoid overwhelm - commit to one change at a time “I am going to start with breakfast”
- Talk to others – colleagues, friends or family – support each other to eat well
- Keep a food diary – it can help you identify your habits.
Lucia's story: RN and busy mum navigating peri-menopause
“For a long time I have neglected my health, but as I entered this phase of life, I knew it was time to begin prioritising my health, beginning with what I eat,”.
Lucia knew from past experiences that trying to tackle too much at once usually didn’t lead to sustained change. So she committed to just eating a healthier breakfast every day for the next three months.
Lucia began eating eggs or a protein smoothie for breakfast, as these were quick to make.
“I definitely felt less hungry by lunchtime and I wasn’t snacking as much. I feel really good about the new choices I’ve been making, I’ve noticed a difference to my overall health.”
References
- A dietitian’s 5 ways to eat healthier on night shift for nurses and midwives, by R. Fedele, 2021, Australian Nursing & Midwifery Journal.
- The Effects of Breakfast and Breakfast Composition on Cognition in Adults, by R. Galioto, 2016, Advances in Nutrition
- Lose weight with a high protein diet, Total Wellbeing Diet, CSIRO
- Topics
- Food and nutrition